Heat exchanger and heat exchanger manufacturing method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11940219-B2
Application number	US-202117501256-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 14, 2021
Priority date	Oct 16, 2020
Publication date	Mar 26, 2024
Grant date	Mar 26, 2024

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a heat exchanger. The heat exchanger includes: a plurality of tube panels including a tube elongated in one direction; a pair of header modules coupled to both ends of the plurality of tube panels; and a pair of header cases having an open side, providing a space therein, and having the header module inserted in the space such that the tube panels communicate with the spaces, in which the header modules is composed of a plurality of header blocks stacked and coupled to each other, and an insertion hole in which the tube panel is inserted is formed at each of the plurality of header blocks. Accordingly, it is possible to increase the efficiency of manufacturing a heat exchanger, manufacture a heat exchanger flexibly in a custom-made type in accordance with the size of a product having the heat exchanger, reduce tolerance due to brazing, and improve stability of a product.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A heat exchanger comprising:
a plurality of tube panels including a plurality of tubes elongated in one direction and a plurality of fins;
a pair of header modules coupled to both ends of the plurality of tube panels; and
a pair of header cases having an open side, providing a space therein, and having the pair of header modules inserted in the spaces, respectively, such that the plurality of tubes communicate with the spaces, wherein each header case has the open side, wherein the pair of header modules each includes a plurality of header blocks stacked and coupled to each other, and at least one insertion hole in which the tube panel is inserted is formed at each of the plurality of header blocks, wherein
each header block of the plurality of header blocks includes an upper coupling block and a lower coupling block that forms the at least one insertion hole by being combined with each other with the tube panel therebetween, wherein the tube panel is configured such that a fin of the plurality of fins is formed by a flat portion and a recession is formed by coupling an upper panel and a lower panel, each of which has the flat portion and a recession, wherein a bottom of the upper coupling block is formed in a shape corresponding to a shape of the upper panel and is in contact with the upper panel, and wherein a top of the lower coupling block is formed in a shape corresponding to a shape of the lower panel and is in contact with the lower panel.

2. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the insertion holes of the plurality of header blocks are elongated in a direction in which the tube panel is elongated.

3. The heat exchanger of claimer 1 , wherein the upper coupling block includes a first coupling groove recessed upward from a bottom of the upper coupling block at both ends of the upper coupling block, and the lower coupling block includes a first coupling protrusion protruding upward from a top of the lower coupling block at both ends of the lower coupling block and inserted in the first coupling groove.

4. The heat exchanger of claimer 1 , comprising a spacer disposed at both ends of the header block between the upper coupling block and the lower coupling block, and spacing the upper coupling block and the lower coupling block by a thickness of the tube panel.

5. The heat exchanger of claim 4 , wherein the spacer protrudes from at least one of the upper coupling block or the lower coupling block.

6. The heat exchanger of claim 5 , wherein the spacer includes:
an upper spacer protruding downward from the bottom of the upper coupling block; and
a lower spacer protruding upward from the top of the lower coupling block and being in contact with the upper spacer, and wherein the header block includes:
a first coupling groove recessed upward from the upper spacer; and
a first coupling protrusion protruding upward from the lower spacer and inserted in the first coupling groove.

7. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of header blocks each include:
a coupling protrusion protruding upward from a top of the header block; and
a coupling groove recessed upward from a bottom of the header block, and wherein the coupling protrusion of any one of the plurality of header blocks is inserted in the coupling groove of another one of the plurality of header blocks.

8. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the header case includes a rib disposed adjacent to both sides of the header case in the header case, protruding forward from a rear surface of the header case, and limiting an insertion depth of the header module in contact with the header module.

9. The heat exchanger of claim 8 , wherein the rib is elongated in an up-down direction and is in contact with the plurality of header blocks.

10. A heat exchanger comprising:
a plurality of tube panels including a plurality of tubes elongated in one direction and a plurality of fins;
a pair of header modules coupled to both ends of the plurality of tube panels; and
a pair of header cases having an open side, providing a space therein, and having the pair of header modules inserted in the spaces, respectively, such that the plurality of tubes communicate with the spaces, wherein each header case has the open side, wherein the pair of header modules each includes a plurality of header blocks stacked and coupled to each other, and at least one insertion hole in which the tube panel is inserted is formed at each of the plurality of header blocks, wherein each header block of the plurality of header blocks includes an upper coupling block and a lower coupling block that forms the at least one insertion hole by being combined with each other with the tube panel therebetween, wherein the upper coupling block includes a second coupling protrusion protruding upward from a top of the upper coupling block, wherein the lower coupling block includes a second coupling groove recessed upward from a bottom of the lower coupling block, wherein the second coupling protrusion of any one of the plurality of header blocks is inserted in the second coupling groove of another one of the plurality of header blocks, and wherein each header case includes:
a case groove that is recessed on a top of the header case to face the space and in which the coupling protrusion positioned at an upper end of the header module is inserted; and
an insertion block that protrudes to the space from a bottom of the header case and that is inserted in the coupling groove positioned at a lower end of the header module.

11. The heat exchanger of claim 10 , wherein the case groove is elongated rearward from a front end of the header case and guides insertion of the coupling protrusion.

12. The heat exchanger of claim 11 , wherein the header case includes a cap block inserted from a front end of the case groove, guided toward the coupling protrusion inserted in the case groove by the case groove, and being in contact with a surface of the coupling protrusion.

13. The heat exchanger of claim 10 , wherein the header case includes a slit formed by opening another surface of the header case to be connected with the coupling groove, and wherein the insertion block is inserted in the coupling groove through the slit from the outside.

14. A heat exchanger comprising:
a plurality of tube panels including a plurality of tubes elongated in one direction and a plurality of fins;
a pair of header modules coupled to both ends of the plurality of tube panels; and
a pair of header cases having an open side, providing a space therein, and having the pair of header modules inserted in the spaces, respectively, such that the plurality of tubes communicate with the spaces, wherein each header case has the open side, and wherein the pair of header modules each includes a plurality of header blocks stacked and coupled to each other, and at least one insertion hole in which the tube panel is inserted is formed at each of the plurality of header blocks, further comprising a pressing screw fastened in a nut hole formed on a top and/or a bottom of the header case, and pressing the header module inserted in the space in an up-down direction by being rotated in one direction.

15. The heat exchanger of claim 14 , wherein the tube panel is divided into the plurality of fins and the plurality of tubes formed between the plurality of fins, and wherein the pressing screw is disposed at positions corresponding to positions of the plurality of fins.

16. A heat exchanger comprising:
a plurality of tube panels including a plurality of tubes elongated in one direction and a plurality of fins;
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Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Kim Sungwoo
• Kim Hongseong
• Jung Seungmo
• Lee Hanchoon

Classifications

• F28D1/05333 Primary

  with multiple rows of conduits or with multi-channel conduits (F28D1/05341 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F28D1/0233

  with air flow channels · CPC title

• F28D1/0246 Primary

  heat-exchange elements having several adjacent conduits forming a whole, e.g. blocks · CPC title

• F28F1/32

  the means having portions engaging further tubular elements · CPC title

• F28F9/0131

  formed by plates (F28F9/0138 takes precedence) · CPC title